Stakes high as 48 vie for 21 seats in Orange County Legislature

Saturday

Jul 13, 2013 at 2:00 AMJul 13, 2013 at 11:32 AM

BY CHRIS MCKENNA

GOSHEN — A crowded field of 48 candidates filed petitions this week to run for the Orange County Legislature's 21 seats, setting the stage for at least eight primaries on Sept. 10, followed by 18 contested races in the Nov. 5 general election.

Republicans had more internal rivalries than Democrats. Two or more GOP candidates are slated to run in six legislative districts, including two in which sitting Republican lawmakers are paired off against GOP candidates that rank-and-file party members endorsed at a convention in June.

Democrats, meanwhile, face a single primary between Curlie Dillard and James Thorpe for Newburgh-area District 4 – the seat Legislator Harvey Burger will vacate this year.

Stakes are high in the elections, with long-running, partisan battles over the fate of the county nursing home and Government Center still unresolved.

Republicans, who have controlled the Legislature every year except one in its 44-year history, now hold an 11-9 edge over Democrats, with one Independence Party member.

One surprise in this week's candidate filings was Al Buckbee's bid for a second term. The Republican legislator had said previously he probably wouldn't run again, and Republicans endorsed a different candidate, John Vero, last month to run in District 10, which encompasses all of Chester and part of Warwick.

Another surprise was former Legislator Noel Spencer's petition to run in that same district, although county Democratic Chairman Jonathan Jacobson explained Friday that Spencer will bequeath his signatures to Michael Mallon, the Democrats' announced candidate. Spencer changed his mind about running after Democrats had collected signatures for him, Jacobson said.

Other notable filings:

-- In heavily Democratic Newburgh-area District 6, Democrat Jim Kulisek, who unseated Republican Pat Berardinelli in 2005 and lost the seat back to Berardinelli in 2009, will challenge the Republican again.

-- Former Deputy County Executive James O'Donnell – a retired police commander who served as County Executive Ed Diana's right-hand man until stepping down in May – will run for the open District 21 seat, challenging the Republicans' endorsed candidate, Phil Canterino, in a GOP primary.

-- Republican newcomers also are challenging their party's chosen candidates for open seats in Districts 4 and 14.

-- Two former Democratic town supervisors – Susan Cockburn of Montgomery and Inga Quaintance of Highlands – are running in Districts 9 and 14.John Ward, former Republican supervisor of the Town of the Wallkill, is running in District 19.

Republican rivals in four districts also filed petitions to compete for the Independence Party and Conservative Party ballot lines, although leaders of those parties have endorsed candidates in most races and won't authorize others to run.

The only certain third-party primary will be in District 3, in which the Independence Party is letting three Republicans run for its line.

cmckenna@th-record.com

Orange County Legislature Candidates by thrnewsdesk

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